


Discovery

by lacedwithlilacs



Series: Avery Hawke [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Childhood, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 14:35:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9276269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lacedwithlilacs/pseuds/lacedwithlilacs
Summary: Avery Hawke is seven when she comes into her magic for the first time.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Something short that I wrote for the DA subreddit's prompt: "The first time they tried to wield their weapon (or for mages, the first time they used their magic)"

Avery is seven years old, the older sister of her twin siblings, both only four years old. When they go outside, Bethany and Carver have to follow her and listen to her rules. Usually, she tells them to leave her alone, to go play in the dirt like babies because she is seven, too old to be hanging around with them. Today though, she has a trick, something she’s been practicing for the past week to make their eyes go wide.

Just like her father, she can do some magic. She hasn’t told anyone yet because she wants to keep it a secret until she can do something great and impress everyone. First, she has to impress her little brother and sister though, possibly some of her harsher critics. When their mother shoos them off to go play outside, she quickly jumps into her plan. There’s a big clearing not far from their little house where the kids can play without worrying about adults finding them. After a stern lecture from her father a year ago about templars and strangers, Avery promised to be very careful.

“Okay babies,” she starts, “this is a secret place, so you can’t tell anyone. Not even Mama and Papa.”

“We’re not babies,” Carver protests, but follows obediently.

They reach the opening and Avery looks around for dangerous strangers, surveying the land as best she can at seven. She points at a tall stalk of elfroot, “Bethany, go get that for me.”

Bethany tilts her head for a moment in questioning but does as Avery demands. She brings it back to her siblings and Avery takes it from her for a moment before placing it in Bethany’s open palm. “Okay, watch very carefully.” Avery focuses on the little piece of elfroot, the leaves growing from the stalk.

The plant twitches slightly as one of the leaves grows, another budding from the stem and growing larger before it unfurls into a bigger leaf than the ones already present. Both the twins watch with amazement as the plant expands in Bethany’s hand magically. Avery stops, feeling tired suddenly, but the effect is not lost on her brother and sister. “Wow Avery,” Bethany breathes, looking between the plant in her hand and her older sister. “We gotta show Mama! Papa will love it!”

Carver, as always, seems less excited than Bethany but he still nods along in agreement. “Do you think me and Bethany can do it too?”

“Babies can’t do it.” Avery says and sticks her tongue out at him. Carver growls in response. “Grab a new plant,” Avery tells Bethany, just to be safe. Maybe if she already did it on the old plant it won’t work again. She can’t take that chance.

Bethany does as she says and runs back over to them, waving the elfroot in Avery’s face, “Let’s show Mama and Papa!”

The three kids run back to the small house, entering and searching for their mother. Leandra sighs at the loud intrusion, her hands on her hips as Bethany tugs at her dress. There’s mending on the table that their mother is working on for one of the other women in the area. “You kids are supposed to play _outside_.”

Bethany interrupts her, “Mama, Avery can make cool magic!” Avery nods proudly, though confused at her mother’s horrified expression. After a moment, Leandra composes herself, though her hands shake in a way Avery’s never seen before.

“Show me Avery,” Leandra says calmly, not at all excited like Bethany or Carver. Bethany holds out the elfroot in her outstretched palm, honored to be the presenter of Avery’s trick. Avery focuses on the new piece of elfroot, making another large leaf bud off of the stem again. This time she shows off though, working hard to make a second leaf appear. The second one starts to grow when Avery has to stop, exhausted to the point of momentary dizziness. “Thank you, Avery,” Leandra says, taking the elfroot from Bethany and goes back to working on her mending with an unsteady hand. “Now please go and play so I can work.”

“Let’s see if you can make more cool magic,” Carver suggests.

“No!” Leandra shouts and all three children jump at her sudden outburst. “Children, please go play _without_ magic.” Avery leads her siblings outside and tells them to go do whatever they want now. She decides to go take a rest in her special field instead.

That night, when her father gets home from the farmer’s field, her mother is quiet throughout dinner. After the dishes are washed, with Avery’s help of course, Leandra and Malcolm speak in quiet voices. Avery pretends like she’s working hard on writing her letters when she’s really trying to listen to their whispers.

Eventually, her father comes over to the table and looks at the single line she’s produced. He knows she’s not been paying attention to her writing, but he doesn’t scold her. Instead, he lifts her up into his arms and takes them into the children’s bedroom. He produces the sprig that she’d made grow earlier in front of her mother, “Can you do it again for me?”

Avery looks between the plant and her father, his warm eyes uncharacteristically serious. “Papa,” she mutters, “I need a new plant. This one is broken maybe.”

Malcolm chuckles, “I think it’s fine Ave. Just go ahead and try.” His nickname for her gives her confidence, that maybe he’ll be a little bit more receptive than her mother had been.

So she does, finishing the second leaf and bringing the wilting leaves back to life. Malcolm takes in a deep breath, smiling faintly at his daughter. “I’ll start teaching you how to do some magic at night when I’m home. Maybe we can start tomorrow?”

“Can I make a fireball like you Papa?” she asks, excitedly. She knows that her mother hates it when Malcolm starts a fire with magic, but Avery has always thought it was _so cool_.

He ruffles her hair, laughing softly. He smiles at her, this one reaching his eyes, “One day you will.”


End file.
